Title: Family ownership, conflict resolution strategies and organisational ambidexterity

Authors: Tobias R. Bürgel; Martin R.W. Hiebl

Addresses: Chair of Management Accounting and Control, University of Siegen, 57072 Siegen, Germany ' Institute of Management Control and Consulting, Johannes Kepler University Linz, 4040 Linz, Austria

Abstract: Organisational ambidexterity holds significant implications for family firms' performance, growth, and long-term survival. However, allocating roles and responsibilities among family members can precipitate conflicts that impede such ambidexterity. Despite its importance, limited knowledge exists on how these conflicts can be effectively resolved. Thus, this study investigates the impact of conflict resolution strategies on the relationship between family ownership and organisational ambidexterity. Based on a quantitative survey involving 91 German family firms, employing hierarchical regression analyses and several robustness checks, our findings do not indicate a direct effect of family ownership on organisational ambidexterity. However, when applying certain conflict resolution strategies, precisely avoidance and collaboration, we discovered that purely family-owned enterprises exhibited a noteworthy increase in organisational ambidexterity. These findings allow for important implications for family business practice and contribute to the existing literature by unravelling some intricate dynamics linking family influence, conflict resolution strategies, and organisational ambidexterity.

Keywords: family business; family ownership involvement; ownership structure; CEO; conflict management; conflict resolution; exploration; exploitation; organisational ambidexterity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEV.2024.144219

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, 2024 Vol.16 No.4, pp.463 - 499

Received: 22 Sep 2023
Accepted: 20 May 2024
Published online: 31 Jan 2025 *

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